CINCINNATI (AP) — A federal appeals court Wednesday upheld the bribery and racketeering conviction of former Rep. James A. Traficant Jr., rejecting his claims of double jeopardy and unfair jury selection.
Traficant, a Democrat who represented northeastern Ohio in the House for nine terms, was expelled from Congress in 2002 after being found guilty of taking kickbacks and favors from businessmen and staff members. He is serving an eight-year prison sentence.
Traficant claimed in his appeal that he was tried twice for the same crimes — by federal prosecutors and the House. He also complained that the way the jury was selected at his trial gave the government an advantage.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati rejected those claims, disagreeing with Traficant's argument that double jeopardy applies across the three branches of government.